Blacking-box holder



G. P. CRAGIN.

BLAGKING BOX HULDBR. No'. 378,954. Patented Mar. 6, 1888.

UNITED STATESv PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE P. ORAGIN, OF ADA, ASSIGNOR TO W. R. SMITH, OF FERGUS FALLS, AND IDA L. CRAGIN, OF ADA, MINNESOTA.

BLACKING-BOX HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 378,954, dated March 6, 1888.

Application filed June 23, 1887.

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE P. CRAGIma citizen of the United States, residing at Ada, in the county of Norman and State of Minnesota, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Blacking-Box Holders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to certain improvements in blacking-box holders, and has for'its object to provideasimp'le, cheap, and effective device for the purposes stated in which the empty blackingboxes can be easily removed therefrom and full boxes, with their covers removed, substituted and secured therein, in which the cover of the holder can be applied in such a manner as to be easily opened or "closed, secured in either of said positions, and

held out ofthe way when the box is uncovered.

My improvements consist in the construction and combinations of parts, hereinafter disclosed iu the description and claims, which permit the metal cover to be supported and slid upon the upper surface-of the holder and be forced against Wedgeshaped projections, so as to limit its movement and lock it either in its open or its closed position; also, a cavity or opening` is formed in the holderfor receiving the box and may be covered beneath with a separate plate; also, the box is secured in the cavity or opening by means of a thumb-screw passing through the forward end of the holder.

In the accompanying drawings, Figurel represents a plan view of the holder with the cover open, the blacking-box in place with its cover removed, and with one side edge broken away to show the groove for holding and guiding the sliding cover; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section on line x x of Fig. l, and Fig. 3 a transverse section on line yy/ of Fig. l with the coverV closed.

My invention is constructed in the following manner:

The holder A and handle A are formed integrally and so as to leave an enlarged portion, A2, having parallel sides for receiving the, cover B. The said holder is also formed with the cavity A, for receiving a blackingbox, G, and said cavity iscovered beneath by a metal plate, D, tacked or otherwise secured to the under side of the holder A for providing a bottom upon which the box O may rest.

The side edges of the holder A are grooved ata, and the sliding cover B, of sheet metal, is turned downwardly and inwardly at its sides, so as to cause its edges to t the side grooves, a, of the holder, hold'the cover thereon, and permit it to slide from end to end thereof. The end movements of the sliding cover are limited in both directions by short tacks, brads, or pins a', fastened into the vgrooves a at or near their ends, and the cover is also arrested at the ends of said movements and clamped upon the holder for holding said cover either open or closed by wedge-shaped projections a2 and a3, formed or secured upon the upper surface of the holder. The projection a2 is located at the broad or forward end of the holder. It consists'of au inclined strip of suitable material extending across the upper surface of said holder and upon which the forward edge of the cover bears when closed. It presses upward upon the cover and locks the same in place by frictional contact; also, it fills up the space at the end of the cover when the latter is in closed position. The projection c3, upon which the rear end of the cover slides to hold it open, may also be made of any suitable material. The 4rear end of the cover is folded under, so as to stiffen it and give a better surface to bear upon the projection as; also, the edges of said cover which run in the grooves care doubled over, so as to present smooth surfaces, which will prevent friction as they are moved back and forth.

. A` projection or hand-hold, B', is riveted or otherwise secured upon the cover B, and permits said cover to be easily moved upon the holder.

The blacking-box O is securely held in place within the cavity A, so that it will not turn or fall out,by a thumb-screw, E,passing through the end of the holder and pressing against the rim of the box. When the box is empty, it can be easily removed from the holder Vand a full box, with its cover removed, substituted and secured therein. The holder, as is obvious, is substantially constructed and will last for years. There are no hinges to break off, and the cover may be slid backward and forward upon the holder and securely held thereon, out of the way, when the blackingbox is uncovered and in use.

1When the cover is tightly closed, the holder may be put into a valise or trunk, or even into a drawer with clothing, without soiling anything with which it comes in contact, as the blacking-box is completely covered; also, it is flat and may be closely packed or boxed for shipment.

I construct my holders in three sizes-one large, one small, and one intcrmediatein size-- so as to accommodate any and all sizes of boxes of blacking now manufactured and on sale.

Various minor changes may he made in the construction and arrangement of the parts forming my holder withoutdeparting from my invention.

Having thus fully described the construction and manner of using my invention, what I claim as new isl. A blaeking-box holder provided with a cavity to receive a blacking-box, a handle and wedgeshaped strips, and a cover constructed and adapted to slide upon said block and be locked by said wedge-shaped strips, substantially as described.

2. A blacking-box holder provided with a blacking-box cavity, a handle, wedge-shaped strips and grooves in its edges, asliding cover fitted at its edges Within said grooves, and a thumb'serew for impinging against the blacking-box and holding the same in place within said cavity, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE I. CRAGIN.

\Vtnesses:

O. J. THOMPSON, J. XV. EARL. 

